October 30, 2018

export vulnerabilities

U.S. export vulnerabilities

Customers for U.S. exports could demand more in the way of traceability, however.

"Key U.S. export markets have domestic traceability requirements, and it is important for the U.S. to be aware that these countries, or major customers in these countries, could decide to extend this requirement to imports,” according to the WpI study.

"One scenario for this happening would be an animal disease outbreak, though less drastic developments could also trigger a shift, e.g., a reaction to a food safety scare in the U.S., or pressure from domestic cattlemen or consumer groups who demand that imports meet the same standard as domestically produced beef.”

"Our assumption in our organization, based on our experience with BSE, is that if we found ourselves with an FMD [foot-and-mouth disease] outbreak, for example, countries all over the world would close to U.S. beef, whether they had FMD or not,” says Lively. "Then, it becomes important to get back into markets as quickly as you possibly can. That was a very difficult process for us with respect to BSE.”

Customer compliance

Another possibility that would force the U.S. into a mandatory traceability system, according to Lively, would be if countries importing U.S. beef that have mandatory livestock identification and traceability systems decide to demand the same.

Related to that, Lively could see consumer pressure driving nations to demand higher levels of traceability from exporters.

"I would see that playing out through major customers in those markets, such as supermarket chains and restaurant chains, which essentially say, as a buyer, we’re only going to buy from countries that have adopted traceability.”

The EU endeavors to advocate Farm to Table movement on European Beef and Lamb.Food safety is ensured by EU legal system of animal Traceability and identification, allowing transparency along the supply chain.